The Haunted Castle (Region 2)

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All Rise...

Judge Paul Pritchard's castle has a much bigger problem than ghosts; it's been taken over by squatters.

The Charge

"I can also glean secrets."

Opening Statement

Director F.W. Murnau will forever be synonymous with Nosferatu, his 1922 picture that changed
the face of horror cinema forever. Though only actively working within the film
industry between 1919 and 1931, Murnau was prolific, often turning out two to
four pictures a year. Of these films, the oldest still in existence is
Schloss Vogelod, a.k.a. The Haunted Castle. Long out of
circulation on Region 2 DVD, the good people at Eureka! have seen fit to release
The Haunted Castle (Region 2) as part of their Masters of Cinema
line.

Facts of the Case

A hunting party at Castle Vogeloed takes a sinister turn when Count Oetsch
(Paul Hartmann) arrives uninvited. It is widely believed that Oetsch murdered
his brother three years earlier, and tension soon rise when the murdered Count's
widow, Baroness Safferstatt (Olga Tschechowa), arrives with her new husband.

Also arriving on the scene is Father Faramaund, who has traveled from Rome
to see the Baroness and discuss the circumstances surrounding her late husband's
murder, but when Father Faramaund goes missing, suspicion once again falls upon
Oetsch.

The Evidence

It would be easy for me to wax lyrical on F.W. Murnau's 1921 feature The
Haunted Castle, perhaps even ingratiating myself with elitists who refuse to
watch anything released after 1939 in the process as I risk running out of
superlatives to describe its wonder. But truth be told, in terms of narrative,
character, and plot, The Haunted Castle fails to impress. Spread across
five acts, the film is based on too thin a premise to justify its 82-minute
running time. Built around a mystery that holds little intrigue, The Haunted
Castle just never gets going. All but the most naïve will fail to see
how events will unfold, robbing the film of any surprise. Much of this is due to
the lack of subtlety in the storytelling; character dialogue is so predisposed
with discussing the circumstances surrounding the murder that we are constantly
pushed toward the truth rather than allowing the mystery to build naturally.

Admittedly The Haunted Castle is an early motion picture, but the
staging of the film, not to mention the acting, means the production has more of
a theatrical feel to it. The acting in particular—admittedly a by-product
of the silent movie era—sees everything overplayed to ensure the audience
can grasp the intended emotion being portrayed, but in doing so only serves to
undermine the supposed mystery. These characters lack depth, with each having
barely a single distinctive trait to help distinguish them from the rest of the
cast and none able to establish a connection with the viewer, something further
exaggerated here due to the maudlin plot.

Before you get the impression The Haunted Castle is not worthy of
consideration, allow me to present a rebuttal of sorts to my own arguments.

Despite the film being presented in a rather simple manner (each scene is
presented from a single fixed camera angle, while a minimal number of sets are
employed), Murnau ensures the production feels rather grand, and creates some
impressive visuals that hint at some of the more iconic imagery he would soon be
famous for. Though the title is grossly misleading (you'll find no spooks here),
Murnau includes a dream sequence where a phantom lurks outside a guest's bedroom
window. Despite only ever revealing the hand of the ghoul, Murnau conjures up a
masterful sequence that, in truth, deserved to be in a far better movie. Murnau
also plays with the film's structure, cutting between one conversation and
another to reveal vital plot points almost simultaneously, albeit from different
perspectives. The timeline of the film is also broken up, incorporating
flashbacks that help fill us in on central characters, which perhaps confirm
Murnau was aware of the shortcomings of the narrative and was looking for ways
spice things up. At the very least, it makes The Haunted Castle a far
more interesting proposition, as it offers an opportunity to see a now revered
filmmaker really start to reveal his talent and get the most from a very poor
screenplay.

These sparks of inspiration are what make The Haunted Castle almost
indispensable to film historians, as it offers a chance to see a significant
development in the career of the man who gave the world Nosferatu and Faust—vitally important works—amongst
others. You may very well have no interest, and that's fine, but just remember:
without pioneers like Murnau, where would cinema be today?

Eureka! has released The Haunted Castle in its original 1.37:1 aspect
ratio. The black-and-white transfer is impressive, considering the age of the
film. Though inevitable damage is evident on the print, it is minimal, and the
image is reasonably sharp. The mono soundtrack is reserved solely for a piano
score courtesy of Neil Brandt. The viewer also has the option of viewing the
film with subtitles (all title cards are in German). The sole extra on the DVD,
"The Language of Shadows" (31 mins) gives the viewer an insight into
the early works of Murnau, and is also in German with English subtitles. The
final retail copy also promises an illustrated booklet featuring an essay on the
film, and vintage writings on Murnau.

Closing Statement

This is one of those rare occasions where the quality of the actual film is
less important than the release itself. It bears repeating that this is the
oldest Murnau available. If—like many—the iconic scene of Nosferatu
climbing the stairs or the striking vistas of Faust have been seared into your memory, then
don't you owe it to yourself to witness the first traces of this talent?